Caffeine & Brain Fog

by
AUBRI JOHN Oct. 03, 2017

Aubri John

Aubri John has been a contributing researcher and writer to online physical and mental health oriented journals since 2005. John publishes online health and fitness articles that coincide with her licensed clinical skills in addictions, psychology and medical care. She has a master's degree in clinical social work and a Ph.D. in health psychology.

Caffeine is naturally derived from over 60 varieties of plants. It can also be produced synthetically and added to foods or beverages. Caffeine is one of the most widely used legal stimulant drugs worldwide. With its stimulating benefits, however, come some negative effects when you consume too much. Moderate consumption of caffeine can alleviate brain fog, but it may also induce it if you consume caffeine excessively.

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Brain Fog

The term "brain fog" is not a medical diagnosis, nor is it a condition recognized as a clinical ailment. But you can experience it on occasion even if you are seemingly healthy. Brain fog is subjective; symptoms may include forgetfulness, feeling extremely tired, lacking focus or concentration, and brief memory lapses. It can hinder your ability to tap into your sensory and cognitive functions. Fleeting brain fog is not associated with serious neurological disorders like dementia, but medical conditions including thyroid conditions or low blood sugar can trigger brain fog.

Benefits of Caffeine

The power of caffeine comes from its immediate stimulating effect -- it can pep you up within 15 minutes of ingestion. Short-term benefits of caffeine include alertness, better concentration, livelier mood and mental performance enhancement. These effects can last for three to seven hours depending on dose.

Caffeine Consequences

As you go up with a caffeine boost, so you must come down. If you are prone to ingesting high amounts of caffeine, more than 500 mg a day, brain fog can set in. Insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, anxiety and restlessness are a few of the consequences of heavy caffeine use. These effects can occur hours after your last dose and may prompt you to consume more caffeine to counter the effects. However, the cause is not the cure in this case, and you may want to consider weening yourself off of high-dose use.

Moderation

Caffeine has its perks, especially in medicine. When you have a headache, you likely take a medication with added caffeine to help ease the pain. A study in a 2009 issue of "Cognitive Science" indicates that moderate caffeine use can improve your mental faculties and alleviate fatigue. Impaired mental faculties and fatigue are both associated with brain fog. The key is moderation, which means no more than 300 mg a day or less, MayoClinic.com notes. This is equivalent to approximately four cups of coffee at 5 oz. per serving.